Preservative closure



March M, 1958 .9. w. CA$E PRESERVATIVE CLOSURE Filed Oct. 29, 1954INVENTOR CASE JAMES B.

ATTORN YYS United States Patent PRESERVATIVE CLOSURE James W. Case,Fairfax, Va. Application October 29, 1954, Serial No. 465,760 6 Claims.(Cl. 138-96) (Granted under Title 35, U. 5. Code (1952), see. 266) Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to closures and more particularly to preservativeclosures for protecting portions of conphng members prior to actualcoupling engagement. Examples of such coupling members are the manyopenings provided in various ordnance equipments which are adapted toreceive fuzes, detonators and other components in the field. In manycases the ordnance items are stored for a considerable period of time orare transported throughout the world under varying and extreme climaticconditions before attachment of the components and assembly is made. Itis therefore of the utmost importance that the coupling members of theordnance items be protected from the many weather conditions during theperiod to prevent rusting and surface corrosion.

The invention has been found particularly adaptable for closing andpreserving fuze hole threads of projectiles, bombs and the like. In suchinstances the preservative closure is inserted into the openingimmediately after the machining operation and thus protects the threadsfrom rust during shipment of the empty projectile case to an ammunitionplant where explosive loading operations are performed. At this point areadily separable bottom of the closure member may be punched out" orremoved, allowing loading of the powder through the opening with thethreads being protected by the remaining wall of the closure member.This is a very important advantage since the accumulation of powder inthe threads creates an extremely hazardous condition and the removal ofsame is obviously a slow and tedious procedure.

Heretobefore, it has been the practice to cover such coupling memberswith heavy layers of grease or to spray thick coatings of plasticmaterial thereon. However, these methods were not found to besatisfactory since the laborious and time consuming operation of eitherdegreasing or stripping was required before the coupling members couldbe assembled. In ordnance items where the assembly time prior to use maybe a critical factor in the success or failure of a military operation,such delay may be fatal.

In accordance with this invention a pliable disposable preservativeclosure is provided which may be quickly inserted and removed from acoupling member. The preservative closure has a contour which isdesigned closely to engage the specific coupling means which is to beprotected and is formed from a material having a slight exudation of oiltherefrom, adequate to prevent corrosion of the engaged surfaces. In theembodiment illustrated the bottom of the preservative closure is shownjoined to the side wall by a relatively weak marginal portion so thatthe bottom may easily be removed allowing filling of a projectile or thelike through the opening if such is desired while the wall remains toprotect the coupling means. Thus, a preservative closure is providedwhich may be quickly applied, gives adequate protection during itsinsertion period and is quickly removed.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an inexpensivereadily applied and removed preservative cover for a coupling member.

A further object is to provide a disposable preservative member whichfunctions both to seal a coupling opening and also to protect thespecific coupling means therein from rust and corrosion.

A further object is to provide a pliable preservative closure which isquickly insertable within a coupling opening, provides close engagementwith every portion of the coupling means located within the openingduring the insertion period to protect against rust and corrosionthereof, and is readily detachable from the opening leaving the openingand coupling means free and clear for subsequent coupling action.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the presentinvention; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a projectile, broken away at itsnose portion to show a threaded fuze opening with the preservativeclosure inserted therein.

Considering first Fig. l the preservative closure member 10 is shown asa centrally hollow cup-shaped plug having a cylindrical externallythreaded wall 11, a circular bottom 12 and a peripheral flange 13. Inthe embodiment illustrated the circular bottom 12 is shown joined to thewall 11 by a weakened marginal portion 14 which permits ease in removalof the bottom if such is desired.

In the embodiment illustrated the preservative closure is composed of athermoplastic resin material which has as one of its characteristicsthat of being soft and pliable. For example, such plasticized resins aspolyvinyl chloride or polyethylene have proven satisfactory. It has alsobeen found that these resins containing approximately 7% of a rustinhibitor oil therein offer a most desirable preservative property.There are several rust inhibitor oils provided commercially which willsuffice such as those containing between 37% of sulfonic or carboxylicacid or their metallic salts. It is to be understood that othermaterials may be suitable and the above percentage of oil dispersedwithin the material is not critical provided that the material ispliable, the material and the oil, in mechanical mixture forms aphysically stable compound. Thus it will be understood that in thismechanical mixture the oil is one chemical compound and the resin is theother chemical compound, and the quantity of oil is sufficient toproduce a constant exudation of the oil from the material.

In Fig. 2 the preservative closure is shown inserted in a threadedopening 15 in the nose of a hollow projectile 16. It is to be noted thatthe threads on the cylindrical wall of the closure snugly mate withthose of the opening over the entire threaded area of the openingthereby completely sealing the threads and causing same to becontinually covered with the oil exuding from the material. Also theunderside of the peripheral flange 13 of the closure member is firmlyseated on and covers the fiat nose portion 17 adjacent thethreadedopening thus protecting and sealing same. In inserting theclosure member in the opening it is not necessary that it be screwedinto place, a lengthy operation. Since the member is pliable it issimply pushed into full inserted position, the threads on thecylindrical wall quickly adjusting themselves into proper matingrelationship with the threads in the opening. If it is desired to fillthe interior of the projectile the bottom 12 may be quickly punched outor removed leaving the side wall to protect the threads of the openingduring the filling operation.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

l. A preservative closure for sealing and lubricating coupling meanswithin an opening comprising; a cup-like member molded of Vinylite resinhaving thereon coupling means complementary with the entirety of that tobe protected within the opening and having dispersed therein a rustinhibitor oil in a strength sulficient to produce slow exudation of saidoil from the member.

2. A screw thread protector comprising a pliable, threaded body snuglymateable with the entire length and depth of the threads to beprotected, said body being molded of Vinylite resin having dispersed inmechanical mixture therein a rust inhibitor oil in a strength sufiicientto produce slow exudation thereof from the body,

3. A thread protector comprising, a body of molded Vinylite resin havingpreformed screw threads for snug engagement with the entire length anddepth of the threads to be protected and having dispersed therein a rustinhibitor oil in a strength sufficient to produce slow exudation of oilfrom the body.

4. A preservative closure for a threaded opening comprising, a plugmolded of Vinylite resin externally threaded for snug engagement withthe entire length and depth of the threads of the opening and havingdispersed therein a rust inhibitor oil in suflicient quantity to produceslow exudation of oil from the plug.

5. A device for protecting thread surfaces from corrosion and abrasioncomprising a pliable threaded body snugly mateable with the entirelength and depth of the thread surfaces to be protected, said body beingmolded of plasticized stabilized resin having a rust inhibitor oildispersed therein in a mechanical mixture and a quantity suflicient toproduce slow exudation of oil from the body, said body being suflicicntpliable to permit the device to be manually rammed into threadprotecting position and manually removed therefrom without bodilyrotation.

6. A preservative closure for a screw threaded opening comprising ahollow cup-shaped plug molded of Vinylite resin and having dispersed inmechanical mixture therein a rust inhibitor oil in suflicient quantityto produce slow exudation of oil, said plug being externally screwthreaded for snug engagement with and throughout "the entire surface ofthe threads of the opening, and having pliable walls whereby the plugmay be forced into or out of the opening without bodilyrotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,674,998 Spang June 26, 1928 1,708,657 Brown et al. Apr. 9, 19291,887,448 Behringer Nov. 8, 1932 2,055,646 Bosley Sept. 29, 19362,118,073 Dittmeyer May 24, 1938 2,427,513 Spessard Sept. 16, 19472,459,164 Holst Jan. 18, 1949 2,551,834 Ferguson May 8, 1951 2,628,264Esher Feb. 10, 1953 2,726,978 Skinner Dec. 13, 1955

